


And I Will Never Give Up Hope

by knightemperor



Series: Shuake Week 2020 [1]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Ensemble Cast, Established Relationship, M/M, Shuake Week 2020, day 1 fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:40:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27592841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knightemperor/pseuds/knightemperor
Summary: The Demon Lord has taken control and the Phantom Thieves have decided to take him down. Akira fell for a man on the other side of the fight, but he has hope things will work out. Together they’ll try to save the world.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Series: Shuake Week 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2017106
Comments: 1
Kudos: 35





	And I Will Never Give Up Hope

After months of fighting against swarms of demons and other monsters, Akira and his ragtag party were going to fight the Demon Lord. The man had unjustly come to power as the leader of their country and immediately released his swarms of minions to make sure he would remain leader. Those against him suffered greatly under his rule, and Akira had decided to take a stand against him. 

He created a guild, the Phantom Thieves, and registered with the Alliance, an organization dedicated to fighting the Demon Lord. His best friend, Ryuji, had registered alongside him as a swordsman and their friend, Ann, had joined as a healer. Ryuji was loud and quick to anger, but he was incredibly loyal. Akira couldn’t have asked for a better right hand man. And Ann’s healing abilities were unrivaled, and her fire magic made it so that she was no helpless healer. She was fierce and powerful, while still being kind and empathetic. Akira was grateful to her for everything she had done. They soon met a mage and guild veteran, Morgana, who wanted to join their ranks. The cat was, well, a cat. But he was a powerful magic user, and Akira gladly accepted him. His antics would get on Ann and Ryuji’s nerves, but he became a constant companion for Akira.

Their guild slowly gained more members and faced even more dangerous missions and battles. They rescued a naive, but skilled, swordsman who ended up asking to join the Thieves. Yusuke’s ability to use ice magic alongside his sword was a boon to them all, and Akira found the man to be a wonderful friend as well. He was also a skilled artist and his art helped bring morale to all who fought the Demon Lord.

Makoto joined not much later. She was forced to aid the Demon Lord’s army as a low ranking soldier, but with the Thieves help, she was able to escape and brought her martial arts to the Alliance’s side. As she was a low ranking member, her defect went unnoticed by the main army and she was able to join their guild without problem. Her sister was still being used by the Demon Lord, and Makoto swore to save her. Akira appreciated her sharp mind and determination, even after she admitted to knowing who the Thieves were and planned to take them down. 

Much to Akira’s surprise, his sister Futaba, soon asked to join their guild. In the past, she had been a victim of the Demon Lord’s reign of terror. A man loyal to the Demon Lord had taken custody of her and traumatized her horrifically. Her own mother had perished at the hands of an assassin, the sage’s knowledge deemed too great a threat. She had been living with Akira and Sojiro, her adoptive family, but stayed locked in her room. The outside world was too dangerous. Akira had left intending to make the world a safer place for her, so she might one day be able to leave again. He never expected Futaba to leave of her own volition, to be with her brother and help him. She joined in the hopes of getting revenge for her mother, and the mechanist’s skills added much needed support to the guild. Unable to fight personally, her machines aided them all on the battlefield. 

Haru Okumura was the daughter of one of the closest generals to the Demon Lord. She had escaped her home and came to the Alliance seeking aid. They had taken her in and she soon found a place with the Thieves. Her gentle nature contrasted her fierce fighting style. She expertly demolished her foes with a giant axe all while wielding an even sharper smile. It was honestly amazing and Akira was floored by her emotional and physical strength. While the rest of the Alliance celebrated, the Thieves helped comfort her as word that her father had been killed in battle. She soon bounced back and vowed to see the conflict through till the end. 

Finally, there was Goro Akechi. Akira had met the man before, shortly after Yusuke had joined their group. They had met on several more occasions and became rivals. Goro was Akira’s equal in almost everything, and the two would always try to one up each other. However, Akira knew it was a bad idea to get too close to the man as he was an avid supporter of the Demon Lord. His silver tongue spoke of propaganda and his deadly looks charmed the populace. It was easier to control people who were willing to be controlled, making him one of the most deadly members of the Demon Lord’s forces. 

But no matter what Akira logically knew, all he could see was a man just like him. Eager for a challenge, someone who could understand him and someone he could confide in. Akira confessed his feelings to Goro and thus began their secret relationship. He felt bad he was fraternizing with the enemy like this, but Goro did things to his heart and made him just feel so happy. The man told Akira about his past, how his mother died and left him alone as a child, how he grew up in an orphanage. But he managed to pull himself out of the miserable place he found himself and became a member of the guards. However, his position was more that of a public speaker than that of a soldier. 

Akira was enamoured with him. He would be clever and confident and then Akira would flirt with him, and he would become flustered. It was adorable. Goro was able to draw more words and emotions out of Akira than anyone else, which came as a surprise to Akira. He didn’t realize how much he was holding back from his friends and it wasn’t even intentional. 

One day, Goro came to the Alliance and was met with the expected force you would expect to meet going into an enemy stronghold. He refused to fight, however, and instead begged them to allow him to join. He presented them with the case of Sae Nijima, Makoto’s sister. Akira pressured the Alliance leaders to allow Goro to join the Thieves as an archer and to let them handle his request. The Alliance leaders reluctantly allowed Akira leadership on this mission, as they were unsure how much Goro could be trusted, since he was one of the Demon Lord’s most outspoken supporters. Akira assured him of his loyalty, though it probably wasn’t as assuring as he hoped. 

The Thieves had amassed a lot of support not only within the Alliance, but in the populace as well. Of all their missions, this one was likely to be their hardest yet, as instead of taking down an officer of the Demon Lord’s forces, it would be to convert one. Makoto and Goro both refused to allow harm to come to Sae, and instead they would have to convince her to change sides. Akira was up for the challenge and he believed they’d be able to do it. 

Makoto was able to reach Sae’s heart and they found themselves successful. Goro was officially added into the group and Akira felt a load lift off his shoulders knowing he would be able to finally be open about his relationship. He was practically glued to Goro’s side from that point onward. Being able to hold his hand whenever he liked, kiss his face whenever he thought Goro was being too cute, cuddle with him whenever he was a little too cold. It was freeing. 

Goro returned the affection when he could, though he was not one for public affection. He would occasionally kiss Akira’s cheek, clasp his hand, and lean into him. Everytime he initiated anything, Akira’s heart would race and overflow with emotion. The Thieves supported them, making Akira even happier than he thought he could be. Ann teased them, Ryuji wrapped an arm around Akira and congratulated him. Morgana claimed he knew Akira had feelings for someone this whole time. Makoto congratulated both of them and Haru bought them gifts, when she really didn’t need to. Yusuke offered to paint the two of them together, which they politely declined. Futaba gave Goro the stink eye and told him to take good care of her brother. 

Almost everything was perfect, and now there was only one thing standing between Akira and his happily ever after. The Demon Lord. Tomorrow they would launch their assault against his castle and take him down once and for all. 

Akira sat in his room, sharpening one of his knives. He had to properly prepare. His main knife was getting a little dull. It had been a while since he last sharpened it, and he knew Makoto would get on his case about not taking good care of his weapons. A knock at the door interrupted his work and he got up to open the door. He was met with the smiling visage of his boyfriend.

“Hello Akira,” Goro greeted warmly. “I was wondering if you wanted to spar with me? I want to make sure I’m in top form for tomorrow.” 

“Sure, let me just finish this. Do you want to come in?” He stepped back and held the door open. 

“Thank you, I’d be glad to.” He entered and Akira shut the door behind him. The archer headed to Akira’s bed and sat down. Akira sat back at his desk and went back to work. 

“Making sure all your stuff is ready?” Goro asked. 

“Yup.”

“I made sure my bow was in tip top shape this morning. I’ve also packed my bag with all the extra supplies I’ll need. Is your bag ready as well?”

“Almost. I’ll need to add some rations probably. I know this is our final fight, but who knows how long it might take. His defenses might be stronger than we’re expecting and we could take a while even reaching him.” 

“Indeed. That was my logic as well. I’ve packed a few ration bars and I’m going to grab a few perishable items in the morning. Tastes better and gives more energy in my opinion.” Goro made a face. Akira snorted. Rations did taste pretty bad.

“By the way,” Goro said. “Where is Morgana? Isn’t he usually here with you?”

“He’s with Ann. He said he was going to go practice magic with her, but we all know he just wanted to spend time with her.” Akira rolled his eyes. He loved the magician, but he really didn’t stand a chance with Ann. Luckily she didn’t seem to mind much. She thought he was like a cute little kid. 

“So it’s just us for today?” Akira figured Goro made some kind of smirk judging on the tone of his voice there. Unfortunately, his vision was totally focused on the knife in his hands. 

“Yup. But don’t get any ideas just yet. I still have to finish preparations for tomorrow.” 

Goro laughed. “Don’t worry, I won’t distract you. Do you mind if I read one of your books?”

“Knock yourself out.” 

Akira heard Goro get up and walk over to his bookshelf. About a minute later, he heard a creaking noise as Goro sat back down on his bed. “What’d you grab?” He asked.

“The Adventures of Arsene Lupin.”

“Oh, that’s my favorite.”

“I can tell.” Goro chuckled a little. “It’s well worn. You clearly read it a lot.”

“Yeah… It’s where I got the idea for the guild name. I wanted it to be something really cool and what’s cooler than Arsene Lupin, the original phantom thief?”

“I admit, I was thrown off when I heard the name of your guild was the Phantom Thieves. I wasn’t expecting a group of thieves to be fighting for justice. Although, none of you are really thieves, are you?”

“Haha, nah. I’m probably the closest you could get to a thief. But I’m more rogue, you feel?”

“You certainly give off that feeling. Your entire aesthetic helps to convey that.” 

Akira looked down at his clothes. They were all black. In fact, his entire wardrobe was various black clothing. The fact he fought with knives just added to that. 

“Oh my god, Goro, I’m emo.” He said, turning around in his chair. Goro laughed and covered his mouth with a gloved hand. He was so cute laughing like that. Akira didn’t want him to cover his face though, he wanted to hear that glorious laugh. It sounded like bells, resonating with Akira’s heart.

Goro noticed Akira gazing at him and chided his boyfriend. “Hurry and finish that knife so we can spar. You can have your revelation after.” 

“Yessir,” Akira whined. Goro rolled his eyes fondly and motioned with his hands for Akira to turn around. He reluctantly did and went back to sharpening the knife. Aside from the sound of the knife on the whetstone and the turning of pages, they spent the rest of the time in comfortable silence. 

"Alright, I think this is good." Akira held his knife up and looked at it. It was a lot sharper than it used to be, which was a plus. He grabbed a nearby piece of paper to test how well the knife cut. It glided effortlessly through the page, slicing small strips. "Oh yeah, this is perfect."

"It does look quite well done." Goro's voice came up right behind him and startled him. Akira fumbled with the knife for a split second but quickly regained his grip. 

"Don't sneak up on me like that! I have a knife in my hand!" Akira set it down on the table and turned to look directly at Goro. 

"My apologies. Shall we go ahead and spar now?" He smiled eagerly. Akira sighed and nodded. 

They headed to the training grounds together and were not surprised to see the place was totally packed. Today it was as if the entire Alliance picked today to train, and they probably did considering they were taking on the Demon Lord's forces tomorrow. The leader's guild and The Phantom Thieves would be in charge of actually fighting him, as they had somehow gained a lot of popularity, but the rest of the guilds would be in charge of keeping back the rest of the army. As such, every single fighting hand was making sure they were at peak performance. 

"Hm," Goro said, surveying the area. "Perhaps we should find elsewhere to train."

"Yeah, that'd be a good idea." Akira said. "I don't want to bother finding a place here."

"Alright then, where to?" Goro asked. 

"There's a place I like to go that's a ways into the forest. It's farther from town, so less eyes, but it's also more dangerous if I run into any enemies. I'm farther away, so it's harder to call for help."

"Well we might as well try it," Goro said. "Plus, I'm pretty sure you and I could take down any monsters we happen to run into." 

Akira nodded. They weren't guild members for nothing. "Alright. I'll lead the way."

They headed deeper into the forest, trees slowly closing in on them. Akira had been through the area enough to know where to go, but he made sure Goro was close, as it was easy to get lost. Soon, they came to a clearing. 

"I see you've been practicing knife throwing here," Goro said, walking out of the tree line. 

"How can you tell?"

"The trees have knife marks in them." He stopped and looked at a tree. He turned back to look at Akira. "Did you carve our initials into this one?"

Akira blushed. He had done that a few months ago when they had first started dating. It was embarrassing. "Shut up. Didn't you want to fight?"

"Yes. No weapons and we go until the other yields. And no causing injuries. Do those rules sound good?"

Akira walked into the clearing and faced Goro. "Sounds good to me. Let's go."

He rushed forward, barely giving Goro time to react. He swung a punch straight for Goro's chest. The archer brought his arms up and neatly blocked the blow.

"Not even giving me any warning I see."

"You won't get any warning in battle."

"True." 

Goro immediately dropped down and launched a sweeping kick towards Akira's feet. The thief leapt back, dodging the blow. Goro didn't let up and quickly ran up to deliver his own punch. Akira dodged and grabbed the man's arm. With his other hand, he landed a solid punch to Goro's form. It seemed to do nothing though, as Goro simply moved close and kneed him right in the stomach. 

Akira's senses filled with pain. Goro was strong, betraying the archer stereotype. He could handle himself up close just as adeptly as he could with a bow. Akira smashed his head forward, making contact with something and making Goro stumble. His face was a little red, so Akira assumed he had landed his headbutt right there. Oops. He should probably avoid too many face hits, he didn't want to break Goro's nose. Goro took advantage of Akira's stunned state and immediately launched a series of punches. Akira couldn't dodge them all, but he was able to avoid a few. His vision filled with tears. Man, he could pack a punch. 

Akira decided it was time for him to play a little dirty. There were no specified rules against it, so he figured that was ok. He kicked up a cloud of dirt towards Goro and saw the man's eyes water. Sensing his chance, Akira rushed in and threw some punches of his own. They landed, striking Goro in the chest and sides. An incoming kick caused Akira to retreat. 

"That was uncalled for, don't you think?" Goro said. He coughed a bit and got back into fighting position.

"Hey, you never said I couldn't do that. You only specified no injuries." 

"Honestly, I thought you were supposed to be a fighter for justice."

"You don't need to fight clean to fight for what's right."

"Fair." 

The two rushed back into the fight, trading punches and kicks. Akira managed to land a blow to Goro's legs, unbalancing the man. He immediately followed up with quick blows to chest, knocking him over. Akira swiftly followed Goro to the ground. He pinned the man's arms with a hand and rested an arm against Goro's throat. 

"Do you yield?" Akira said, putting a little pressure onto his arm. He could feel the man moving underneath him, testing how tight his grip was. 

"I yield," Goro breathed. Akira let up and freed Goro's arms. Goro sighed and let his head fall back onto the ground.

"Need some help?" Akira held a hand out. Goro looked back and up and gripped it. Akira pulled Goro back up into standing position. 

"You beat me, however, I don't think I can count that as a real win. Next time, try beating me without resorting to such measures." 

Akira shrugged. "Hey, all's fair in love and war." 

Goro shook his head. "When this is all over, let's have a rematch. Fighting with everything we have, weapons too."

"Whoa weapons? Ok, but I don't think you'll be much of a match against my knives, mr. long distance fighter."

Goro chuckled. "Don't worry, I can handle myself. So? What do you say? Will you accept my challenge?"

"You got it," Akira stuck his hand out. Goro clasped it and they shook on it. "Now then, should we head back before it gets dark? I want to spend a bit more time with you before it gets too late."

"Yes, let's head back. I don't want to be in the woods when it gets dark. I'm fairly certain I wouldn't be able to find my way back."

"Well then." Akira tightened his grip on Goro's hand. "You better not let go. I don't want my boyfriend getting lost."

"I'll hold on tight." Goro squeezed back and smiled at him. 

The two headed back through the woods, holding hands the entire way. Eventually they made their way back to Alliance HQ. They decided to grab some food before they headed back to Akira's room. The cafeteria was just as packed as the training grounds had been. Was their timing so poor that they had to pick the times when everyone else was doing things? They quickly grabbed their meals and headed back to Akira's room, food in tow. It'd be easier to just eat there.

Akira opened the door to find Morgana sitting on his bed. Akira could never get over how cute it was to see a cat wearing a classic witches hat and a little cloak.

"Welcome back Akira, Goro." He meowed.

"Hey Mona," Akira said. He sat down on the bed next to the cat. Goro sat at Akira's table. "I thought you were still hanging with Ann?"

"Lady Ann needed some time to see Shiho. She said she wanted to be with her best friend before the battle." 

"Ah," Akira said. "You gonna stay here?"

Morgana thought for a second. He glanced towards Goro and then seemed to make up his mind. "No, I'll probably head out. You two are probably going to be gross all night. I don't want to see any of that."

Akira flushed. The most he had done with Goro was kiss, he wasn't planning on doing anything more. Though Morgana, with his innocent little cat brain, probably didn't even think about that and he probably just found any pda to be "gross." Which was fair.

"Perhaps you could see if Futaba needs company," Goro suggested. Akira nodded in agreement. Knowing his sister, she had probably locked herself in her room working like crazy on projects wanting no interruptions. She'd work herself till she passed out if someone wasn't there to remind her to take care of herself, and what better candidate was there then Morgana. After all, the cat had reminded Akira daily to go to sleep. 

"Alright. I'm gonna head over there now, then. Akira if you need me, you know where to find me."

"Gotcha. Feel free to come back in the night and sleep on my chest." Akira said. He did get very attached to sleeping with Morgana. He was just very comfy. 

Morgana just rolled his eyes. "Alright, you big baby. Honestly, what would you do without me?" 

"I would perish." Akira responded without hesitation. 

"Yeah, probably. Goro, make sure he doesn't do anything stupid." 

"Absolutely." 

"Hey, what does that mean?" Akira objected. 

Goro and Morgana both snickered and shook their heads. It was nice seeing them getting along. Morgana had been the one most against letting Goro join them, but he had been warming up. They even recently went on first name basis, which made Akira incredibly happy. He wanted the people he cared for to accept the man he loved. 

Morgana left and it was just the two of them again. They ate their meals, chatting about inane things. The weather, things happening in their favorite book series, small things like that. It was peaceful. Akira could forget the current situation and pretend he was a normal man. He could be Akira Kurusu, a guy spending a quiet evening with his boyfriend. A guy who liked reading and debating with a guy who always managed to have the opposite opinions. There was no fighting, no lamenting what more he could have done, no wondering if what he was doing would even amount to anything in the end. It was just him and the man in front of him. 

Eventually though, Akira's worries came back to him, as they always did. They'd always find the cracks in his mind and fill him with stress and fear. He sighed and set his plate down, his food having been long eaten. 

"Goro. Are you scared for tomorrow?" 

"Yes," Goro spoke sharply. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. There's so many things that could happen and I'm afraid for the future."

"Yeah…" Akira closed his eyes. "I just keep thinking about everyone and everything that could go wrong. What if my leadership isn't good enough? What if someone dies? What if you die. I'd never be able to live with myself."

Akira felt something warm touch his hand. He opened his eyes and looked up. Gray met brown as Akira stared into Goro's face. "I understand. And I feel the same." Goro's hand wrapped around Akira's. The bed shifted as he sat next to him.

"I keep imagining you dying," he continued. "And I know if you were to die, I would probably join soon after. However, I'd do what I could to protect the rest. They don't deserve to be in this mess."

Akira shook his head. "Please don't. If something happens to me, I want you to live on Goro. You of all people deserve a chance to live and be happy."

"Do I, though? I'm a terrible person, Akira. I encouraged people to support the dictator who's controlling this world. I did so much under his rule."

"You're not the only one who did," Akira argued. "Sae, Makoto, even Yusuke played a role in helping the Demon Lord at some point. Did you know he painted some portraits where the proceeds got donated to the Demon Lord's cause?"

Goro shook his head. "Do they really count though?"

"They do in my book. They were either forced, coerced or misled into following the Demon Lord's words, but they were able to escape. They're doing what they can to make up for whatever they have done and to simply help others for the sake of helping. I think you're just as deserving of that second chance as they are."

"I see." Goro said. He released Akira's hand and flopped down onto the bed. It squeaked a little in protest. "Would you still say that even if I did even worse things?"

"Yes," Akira said.

"You're not just saying that because you're my boyfriend, right?"

"Nope. I mean it from the bottom of my heart. I think if someone has the genuine desire to change and puts effort into changing, then they deserve that chance to make things right again."

"You're so idealistic," Goro chided. 

"I'd rather be a bit too hopeful than be pessimistic all my life. I was pessimistic for too long, I'm going to grab onto that hope and never let it go." He made a grabbing motion in the air. 

"I wish I could be more like you."

Akira laid down on the bed next to Goro. "I think it's good that you're not like me. I need someone to balance me out."

"Haha, I suppose so." And with that, the pair fell silent. They laid like that for a while, just enjoying each other's presence. 

"Are you going to spend the night here?" Akira's voice cut through the silence. 

"Probably. I don't particularly want to go back to my room. I can wake up early and grab my things in the morning." 

"Ok." Akira got up and grabbed the spare pajamas from the drawer. Goro had spent the night enough times to where Akira just started keeping a pair just for him. They changed and then crawled back into bed together. Akira wrapped his arms around the man, pressing his face into his back. 

"Hey, Goro," he whispered. 

"Yes?" Goro said, turning his head around to look at Akira. 

"I love you." 

"Don't set off a death flag, stupid." Goro turned around fully and softly kissed Akira on the forehead. Akira snuggled closer and felt himself getting more and more tired. Morgana should be coming back soon, he wanted his kitty to be with him too. He hoped Goro wouldn't mind, he just wanted a little extra company tonight.

He had almost completely drifted to sleep when he heard Goro's voice softly whisper. "I love you too. I'm sorry." And then Akira heard no more.

\------

The time had come. They were finally leaving. Futaba made all of them swear to stay safe and sent them off with a veritable army of robots. Akira made sure they had plenty of food. He wanted them to all to be well fed and well prepared. 

They entered the castle from a hidden entrance. The main forces were attacking directly, leaving this entrance completely unguarded and unwatched. They snuck in and carefully made their way through. The leader guild parted with them, as it was easier to travel in smaller groups. So far they hadn't run into too much trouble.

They arrived at a room that was relatively barren. There wasn't even any furniture, only decorative gears plastered around the walls. Akira looked around a little, unsure of what to make of everything. They might as well regroup and look at the options they had available to them. Futaba had created a map from information gathered from one of her creations, but they hadn't had the time to fully examine it since they got inside. Akira was about to ask everyone to come over when a voice cut through his thoughts.

"Alright, I think this is as far as I can let you go." Everyone turned around to see Goro locking the doors behind him. A pair of demons, quite strong ones at that, appeared at his side.

"Goro?"

"Enough games. You all have been a thorn in my side. If it wasn't for the Alliance, I could have had my revenge so much sooner."

"What are you talking about?" Ann asked.

"So we couldn't trust you after all," Morgana said, puffing up his fur. 

"I am not just a simple spokesman. Did you really think I would have learned to fight that well doing only grunt work for the knights?" His white knights uniform seemingly melted away. Black twisted up his arms and cold dark metal wrapped around his head. "I am an assassin, tasked with taking all of you down. I had no choice, if I was to finally take that man down."

"That man?" Yusuke questioned. 

"Masayoshi Shido. The Demon Lord."

"He has a name?" Ryuji shouted. 

"Of course he has a name. He was a regular fucked up human until he made a deal with a Demon. He used his powers to take control of the country and with my aid, killing his various opponents. My plan was originally to kill him once he gained power, but he decided it wasn't enough. He wanted to crush the Alliance or else his control was meaningless. So my goalpost changed, until the Alliance's defeat. I should have just killed him earlier, but he was too well protected. 

"But today. Today is the perfect day for me to finally kill him. I won't let anyone else do it. I have to be the one to kill him and get revenge for my mother. That heartless bastard left her to rot, and she took her own life as a result." 

"So that's what happened…" Akira murmured. He remembered Goro telling him stories about his mother, but all the details of what happened were left vague.

"Wait, wait, the Demon Lord is your father?" Ann interjected. The Thieves looked at each other, equal looks of shock and hurt on their faces. 

"But Goro, why do we have to die? We share the same goal?" Haru asked, gripping her axe tight. 

"Because today, the Alliance will fall. The final hurdle between him and complete victory. He'll be at the peak and then." He drew his thumb across his neck. "He'll be killed by one of his trusted advisors. His own son. Then he'll finally understand how I feel, to have everything taken from him."

"Goro…" Akira said. He couldn't believe this. How long was Goro planning to take them down? Since they first met? Since they started dating? Since their first kiss? Was Goro planning this as he laid with Akira last night, arms wrapped around him?

"Enough talk. I think it's time you die." A sword appeared in his hands and the black knight launched his attack. The demons at his side joined and began attacking the party.

"Akira!" Ryuji's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He was able to barely dodge a blow from Goro. He pulled out his knife and the blade collided with the blade of the sword.

"Did our relationship mean anything to you?" Akira asked between blows.

"It meant the world to me." Goro slashed downwards. All Akira could do was block, but he wasn't prepared for the follow up punch aimed at him. He took the hit to the face and stumbled. "All I wanted was to just be normal. Do regular everyday things, fall in love. All of that. But it's never been an option for me. I was cursed the moment I was born."

Akira stabbed forward, putting Goro on the defensive. He plunged his fist into Goro, mirroring his own attack. "You still have a chance. It's never too late. There's always time for second chances!"

"No there isn't!"

"Didn't I tell you I'm stupidly idealistic? I'm going to find a way we can all get through this."

"You're an idiot!"

"The biggest one you know." Akira smiled sadly. With words exchanged, the two began trading blows yet again. The sounds of the rest of the battle faded and it was just them. Goro was even more skilled with the sword than he was with a bow. He had been holding back on Akira, and he couldn't help but grin at the thrill. Each time Goro's blade got a little too close to his skin, each time he managed to score a hit onto the man, Akira felt a burst of energy. He could tell it was having the same effect on Goro. His angry visage was melting into a savage sort of smile. 

Akira twisted his body just right to slip his knife under Goro's armor. The assassin hissed and jumped backwards. Blood dripped down his side. 

"This is as far as you go." Makoto said. The Thieves lined up at Akira's side. He looked behind them to see the demons had been taken care of. Ann's healing magic surrounded him and he realized he had taken a lot of hits. His cuts were sealing up and his bruises hurting less. Goro looked pissed. His 1v1 fight had ended and now he was outnumbered. 

"Yes, this is indeed as far as you'll go." A deep voice rang through the room. Ryuji and Yusuke leapt towards Akira, protecting his sides while he was still being healed. They all looked around the room frantically. A shadow in the corner of the room started stretching out before them. It grew towards the center of the room and then stopped. A figure slowly rose out of it, a blob of darkness rather than any recognizable shape. Glowing red marks appeared in it and a set of teeth revealed themselves. 

"You are…" Goro said, turning his sword on the creature.

"Shido's closest advisor. I am his shadow, lurking wherever you think you're safe. We've known about your plans of betrayal for some time, but we decided to keep you alive until you stop being useful. It seems today is your expiration date."

"Shit… he knew?"

"Always has. From the moment he met you and recognized exactly whose son you were."

Goro looked at the shadow being in shock. "Everything I've worked for. This is how it ends, huh?" He let out a broken laugh. "I knew I wouldn't be living long after I got my revenge…" 

Akira could barely hear the last part but it reminded him of the conversation Goro had with him the night before. He was being completely serious then, wasn't he? 

"It's not too late," Akira said. Goro turned around and looked at the rouge, shocked. "We can take him down together. It won't be the same as if you were to get your own revenge, but it'll do won't it? That bastard will finally get what's coming to him."

"Yeah! We're a team, remember?" Ann piped up. 

"I too would like to take that man down. Revenge for my childhood, living with a man who committed atrocities in the name of the Demon Lord," Haru added.

"I need to pay him back for what his rule has done for me and my sister. I don't forgive you, but I'll fight with you," Makoto said.

"I'm with you too dude! I definitely know something about shitty fathers." Ryuji said, punching the air. 

"As do I. I empathize with you and would like for you to aid us if possible," Yusuke said.

"I want revenge on Shido for ordering my mother to be killed!" Futaba's shrill voice came through a speaker on one of her machines. "I'll fight alongside you just to give that fucker a taste of his own medicine." 

"You mean a lot to Akira and I'm not going to give up on you just yet. I hate that you betrayed our trust, but you can still have a second chance, just like Akira always says." Morgana chimed in.

"So, what do you say?" Akira asked. 

"I…"

Before Goro could respond, the shadow attacked. They clearly decided they had enough with the emotional moment and talking was no longer a free action. It darted towards Goro, tendrils of shadow climbing up the man's body. He screamed as he unsuccessfully cut at the blob, getting swallowed by darkness. 

"GORO!" Akira shouted. The Thieves moved as one. Physical attacks did nothing against the beast, but magic was deadly effective. The physical fighters moved to protect the mages, as volleys of elemental energy struck the ground in front of them. A screaming noise filled the room as Ann's fireball hit it's mark. The blob released Goro, who crumpled to the floor, and headed to attack the Thieves. Yusuke's ice blocked the shadow from getting closer, and Morgana took his opportunity. A ball of light surrounded the cat and expanded. 

"Lady Ann, could I get some help?"

"You got it, Mona!" The two began casting together, causing the light to become stronger and stronger. The blob crashed against the wall of ice, making cracks start to appear.

"It won't hold much longer!" Yusuke said, sweating with exertion. Akira looked over to see if Ann and Morgana were done casting. They barely nodded in his direction. 

"Now!" Akira shouted. Yusuke dropped the wall right when the blob charged forward for another attack. Ann and Morgana released their magic at the same time, lobbing it straight at the demon. 

"Take this! Sacred Light!" A piercing shriek assaulted their ears and light filled the room. The demon evaporated and the screaming stopped.

"Did you get them?" Ryuji asked, slowly lowering his weapon. The room was empty, aside from them and Goro's fallen body. 

"Don't worry. I think we killed them. At least, they shouldn't be bothering us again," Morgana said.

Akira rushed towards Goro's figure, once it was confirmed they were in the clear. The rest of the thieves quickly followed. He was in bad shape, his body mangled and breathing shallow. 

"Goro…" Akira choked out. The man carefully turned his head to look at Akira, his eyes clouded over. 

"Akira… I'm sorry I can't join you." He breathed out. Akira shook his head frantically. Goro's body became covered in a shroud of healing magic. "Take down Shido, in my stead." 

"We're not leaving without you!" Akira shouted. Tears stung at the corners of his eyes and he shut them to stop from crying. "What about our rematch?"

"Ah… we do have to do that don't we?" Goro took a deep breath in. "After you take him down…" 

Akira held Goro close, cradling his body. A hand touched his shoulder and he looked up. Ryuji pointed at Ann. 

"It'll be ok, Akira," Ann said. "He just needs time to heal. We need someone to take him back to the Alliance so he can get proper medical treatment."

"I--" Akira started. He was cut off by sharp glares from everyone present.

"Akira, we need you with us," Makoto said. "You're our leader and one of our strongest fighters."

"That's where I come in!" Futaba's robot rolled over. "Just set him on top of this baby and I can get him out, no problem!"

"Uh, are you sure?" Haru looked at the robot which was. A little on the small side. It just spun around.

"Yeah! I was prepared just in case." It lifted itself up a little and the top folded out until it was barely large enough to hold a person. "Just tie him up and I'll bring him over to the healers." 

Akira pulled out a rope from his bag and carefully secured him on the robot. He had since passed out and looked utterly peaceful. He cradled the man's face in his hand, thumb brushing his cheeks. He planted a soft kiss, a promise he still loved him and would do what he could for him. He wondered what Goro would say when he woke up. Perhaps he'd be mad, maybe he wouldn't want to be with them any longer. No matter the outcome, Goro deserved to live to make that decision. Akira was worried, but he knew he could trust Futaba to deliver him safely.

"Alright, I'm out. You guys fight the final boss and we'll be done!" Futaba blasted off into the castle. 

"Right then. Let's finish this." Akira looked over his team. They all looked back at him, determined to see this through. He would do this, for Goro and for everyone hurt by Shido. The Demon Lord's reign had come to an end.

**Author's Note:**

> This was meant to be a short one shot just detailed the night before the final battle. I ended up getting a little carried away and it turned into this monster. I could have extended it even more, including the final fight with Shido but I think I’ll save that for a future fic. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed reading! This is my first piece for shuake week, but don’t expect my others to reach this size. I just got really invested in this au lol


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